DPH proposes security overhaul to reduce law enforcement presence in hospitals

The San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH) held a significant meeting on July 4, 2025, to discuss proposed changes to enhance safety and equity within healthcare environments. The meeting focused on addressing the challenges posed by law enforcement presence in hospitals and the need for a more equitable approach to patient care.

The discussion began with an acknowledgment of the existing conflicts between DPH's mission to provide patient care and law enforcement policies. It was noted that a strong law enforcement presence can negatively impact both community relations and patient experiences. The primary goal of the proposed Safety Service Plan is to create a secure environment for patients, staff, and visitors while ensuring equitable healthcare services free from racial and ethnic disparities.

To achieve these goals, DPH plans to establish a Security Equity Group comprising patients, advocates, employees, and community representatives. This group will evaluate the impact of proposed changes and recommend future actions. A key finding highlighted during the meeting was that 91% of law enforcement use of force incidents in hospitals involved patients, many of whom were not committing crimes. This statistic underscores the need for alternative responses to crises in healthcare settings.

The proposed changes include reducing the number of sheriff deputies at Zuckerberg General Hospital by 11.4 full-time equivalents (FTEs) while adding 31.9 psychiatric nurses and licensed technicians to form a Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT). This team will focus on crisis prevention and de-escalation, providing a more appropriate response to patient needs. Similarly, at Laguna Honda, the plan involves replacing 4.2 deputy FTEs with 8.29 uniform ambassadors to enhance visibility and response times.

In community clinics, DPH aims to contract with community-based organizations to provide safety services, utilizing individuals familiar with the neighborhoods served. This approach is based on three years of incident reporting data, which indicated no incidents requiring law enforcement intervention at certain clinics.

Training for the BERT team and ambassadors will focus on recognizing behaviors, providing support, and preventing escalation. The meeting concluded with a summary of the proposed staffing changes and a commitment to ongoing discussions with staff and labor organizations. The next steps include a timeline for hiring and implementing the new safety measures.

Overall, the meeting marked a pivotal step towards rethinking security in healthcare settings, emphasizing the importance of equity and community engagement in creating a safer environment for all.